Machine for weighing and packing mixed nuts or the like



3 Sheets-Sheet l s. CHRISTENSEN MACHINE FOR WEIGHING AND PACKING MIXED NUTS OR THE LIKE Filed oct. s1. 194s Oct. 19, 1948.

NEY

mm, jf

ATTOR Oct. 19, 1948.

s. cHRlsTENsEN 2,451,534

MACHINE FOR WEIGHING AND PACKING MIXED NUTS `OR THE LIKE Filed oct. 31', 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR BY @www ATTORNEY Oct. 19, 1948. s. cHRlsTENsEN MACHINE FOR WEIGHING AND PACKING MIXED NUTS OR THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5l, 1945 1N V EN TOR. '07511 d M2 Y Jofugs pfr/ BY Jer Patented Oct. 19, 1948 MACHINE FOR WEIGHING AND PACKING MIXED NUTS R THE LIKE Sofus Christensen, Valley Stream, N. Y., assigner to Graham Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 31, 1945, Serial No. 625,813

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for packing mixed solid articles of varying sizes and weights and particularly mixed unshelled nuts such as walnuts and pecans.

With automatic packing of mixed unshelled nuts of various sizes, great ldifficulties have been experienced in avoiding both underweight and overweight of the package which is very important. For if a package be found to be underweight the packer or vendor not only is liable under the law but his reputation as an honest dealer is jeopardized. On the other hand, allowing an overweight even by a small fraction of an ounce of thousands of packages would result in considerable losses of profits which already by reason of great competition in this eld must be kept as low as possible.

To overcome these difliculties the packages have been rst partly lled with the mixture to a certain gross weight and subsequently layers oi nuts of either one or the other kind have been added on top of the mixture. This attempt to? solve the problem failed for various reasons. First, of course, a precise adjustment of the deficiency of weight not to exceed a small fraction of an ounce could not be easily and readily attained. Secondly, if layers of only one kind of nuts `are deposited on topof a mixture the packages which are generally in form of cartons of non-transparent material and without windows have been found to deceive purchasers on opening the cartons as to the contents thereof giving rise to unnecessary and time-wasting disputes and possibly rejection of the purchased packages.

One of the objects oi my invention is, therefore, to provide a machine for weighing and packing of solid articles of various sizes or weights whereby the prescribed correct weight can be quickly attained with great precision.

According to my invention the packages or cartons, as hitherto, are first lled partly with the mixture of nuts toa certain gross weight, then conveyed over a series of scales adjusted to progressively increasing weights below a corresponding series of hoppers, then causing the successive discharge each into a package, fromv a corresponding hopper, that happens to weigh less than the predetermined weight setting of the particular scale, of a single article at a time of different kinds, alternately or otherwise, until the desired minute adjustment of the prescribed correct weight is attained.

My invention also consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts of the apparatus employed for carrying out my method, as will be hereinafter more fully described and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which constitutes part of this specification and in which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts,

Fig. l is a front elevation of the automatic nut packing machine,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan View of a detail oi the package conveying means,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 seen in the direction lof the arrows,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on line 4--4 of Fig. 3 seen in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, of a detail of the nut discharging device,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operation of the machine, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan View o1" the automatic scale releasing device.

Referring in detail to the drawing, lil denotes a frame to the front wall of which is suitably fixed a trough-like receptacle Il which extends throughout the length of the frame and which may be suitably divided horizontally into a number of compartments each to receive nuts of diierent sizes and weights. At its lower end, this trough has a forwardly projecting extension l2 which too is horizontally partitioned by walls i3 into a corresponding number of separate compartments in which nuts are allowed to pass from the main hopper or trough ll through openings i4, (one opening only being shown in Fig. 3). Movably borne in the bottom of said extended hopper portion l2 of each compartment is one or a pair of vertical reciprocating plunger-like members l5 the upper end of each of which may be hollowed or formed with a concaved cavity 53, whereby during each upward stroke of a plunger it will be caused to pick up a single nut at a time and lift it somewhat above the upper `forwardly sloping edge Za oi the front wall of said trough extension i2. The plungers may be continuously reciprocated from a motor any suitable manner. In the present embodiment the lower ends of said plungers l5 are xed to horizontal bars I6 which are xed to vertical rods il each being fixed to a pair of horizontal superposed bars i8 arranged at an upper part of the frame I@ and each pair of bars iii slideaby engaging a crank arm 19. These arms are xed to shafts 2Q which lare vertically located above one another and impelled from a motor (not shown) through gears 2i and a connecting rod 2?. or other suitable transmission means, so that the shafts 26 will revolve and the crank arms I9 accordingly will cause the pair of plungers l in each compartment to alternately reciprocate in opposite directions. Suitably xed to the front wall'of the trough extension i2 opposite the sloping edge 52a and in register with each compartment of said trough extension l2 are a. plurality of vertical downwardly projecting hoppers 23 of which each may have a laterally adjustable depending chute like section 23a.

Mounted in front of the frame and below the said chutes 23a is a corresponding number of horizontally supported sensitive weighing scales 2li, of any suitable or well known construction, spaced apart in conformity with the spacing oi said hoppers 23 and having vertical front and rear walls 24a projecting from their platforms 2Gb. These scales are adjusted to progressively increasing weights to be presently more fully described. The packages or cartons C, which as hitherto are first filled in a well known manner with a mixture of unshelled nuts to a gross weight short of the prescribed correct net weight, are continuously conveyed by a suitable infeed conveyor 25 in the horizontal plane of the scale platforms Zlib and are then suitably transferred from said belt conveyor to a second conveyor 2l, which is adapted to continuously feed the cartons over the series of scales. This second conveyor may comprise an endless chain 28 mounted around a horizontally disposed driven chain gear 29 and provided with blades or other suitable push members 3Q adapted to engage and continuously shift the packages or cartons from scale to scale. Bridging the free spaces between adjacent scales may be stationary guide platforms 3l.

According to my method, as already stated, a single nut at a time, of a preselected kind, is dispensed from the hopper into a package or carton as it travels over the scales, if its weight is deficient relative to the adjusted weight of a particular scale. Each scale is provided with any well known suitable means adapted to hold the scale in inoperative position until and unless a package enters its platform. Such means may comprise, as shown, a spring loaded tripping lever 32 which normally projects into the space above the scale platform Zlib and in the path of the moving package and is adapted to operate a finger 33 forming part of a locking means (not shown) associated with the scale. The tripping lever 32 is adapted to be operated automatically by the carton C as the latter passes over the scale platform 21th (Fig. '7). Associated with each scale is also a suitable electric switch 313, (diagrammatically shown in Fig. 6) adapted to close an electric circuit, indicated by Wires, When the gross weight of the package passing over a scale is less than the adjusted weight thereof. If the package balances the scale or is of an overweight the switch 3@ remains open.

The electric circuit which is controlled by suitable timing cams (not shown) driven from the main shaft of the machine is adapted to cause the operation of a nut dispensing mechanism provided for each compartment of the trough eX- tension l2. Such mechanism, as shown in the present embodiment, may comprise a solenoid 35 which may be suitably mounted in a casing Sii ixed to the front wall of the main trough il, one above each compartment of the trough eX- tension i2. The solenoids 35 are adapted to be energized by said electric circuit upon the closure of the switch Sii. The armatures 3l of said solenoids are pivotally mounted as at Sie on the wall of main hopper ll and connected to or formed integrally with hammer or shovel-like members 38 which normally extend downwardly terminating near but slightly displaced rearwardly relative the hollowed upper ends of the plungers l5 when the latter reach the end of their upward stroke, so that when the solenoids 35 are energized said members 38 will be caused to swing forwardly striking against the lifted nuts resting in the cavities of said lifters or plungers i5 and thereby kicking them over into the corresponding Hoppers 23.

Mixed unshelled nuts, specically walnuts and pecans, are packed and generally sold in one pound packages. It has been found that the average weight of three unshelled walnuts with two unshelled pecans, is 1.75 ounces. In practice, thereiore, it is advantageous to have the packages or cartons iirst filled each to a gross weight of 14% ounces-and employ five scales adjusted `to progressively increasing weights X1 X2. X5. in the direction 'of travel of the cartons, as follows: 15 ounces, 151/4 ounces, 151/12 ounces, 16 ounces and 161/8 ounces (the 1A; ounce being the weight of an empty carton). It also has been practical to successively discharge one walnut at a time from the first three hoppers and subsequently a single pecan nut at a time from the last two hoppers. Consequently the first three compartments of the trough extension l2 will contain say walnuts W and the last two compartments pecans P.

When thus a partly lled carton passes over the first scale and weighs less than the adjusted weight of say 143/8 ounces of said scale the latter will operate switch Sli which will close the electric circuit and thereby energize the solenoid 35 of the corresponding compartment of the trough, as a result of which the armature 3l thereof will cause the member 33 to swing forwardly and kick a single walnut, lifted by the plunger l5, into the hopper from which it will drop into the carton before the latter reaches the next scale. If the carton balances the scale or weighs more than the adjusted weight thereof, the switchwill not be operated and there will be no discharge of a nut into the carton. Similarly, when the carton passes over the next scale, which as was assumed, .may have been adjusted to 15%g ounces and the weight of said carton is below that of said scale, the latter will operate its switch and in the aforementioned manner will cause the discharge of a single nut into the carton and, likewise, if it balances said scale or overbalances it there will be no discharge of a nut from the corresponding hopper, and so on.

By thus causing the apparatus lto successively add a single nut at a time, alternately or by any other suitable arrangement, varying in size and weight, the desired correct weight can be attained with great accuracy. I

What I claim is: Y

l. A machine of the character described, comprising a receptacle for solid articles divided into a number of compartments, a number of hoppers depending from and communicating with said receptacle, one opposite each compartment, a corresponding number of weighing scales of progressively increasing capacity arranged below and in range with said hoppers, means for continuously conveying a package over said scales, means in said receptacle for successively bringing a single article at a time into the range of the corresponding hopper and means automatically controlled from each scale and adapted to disof progessively increasing capacity arranged bel lon and in range with said noppers, means for continuously conveying a package over said scales, vertically reciprocating means in each compartment capable of lifting at each stroke a single article at a time to the mouth of its hopper, means for discharging said lifted article from said re ciprocating means into the corresponding hopper means automatically controlled from each .ng scale for operating said discharge means the weight of a package is less than the predetermined weight setting of the scale.

3. In a machine according to claim 1 in which the means for discharging a single article at a time from a hopper comprise a reciprocating member, an electric circuit controlled from each scale, a solenoid arranged in the vicinity of each hopper and energized by said circuit and an article discharge element associated with and operated from the armature of said solenoid.

fi. A machine of the character described, comprising a receptacle having a plurality of compartments, each adapted to hold solids of difierent weights, hoppers communicating with the different compartments, weighing scales of progressively increasing capacity below and in range with said hoppers, means for continuously conveying a package over said scales, driven means for periodically lifting a single article at a time from a compartment into the range of the mouth of the corresponding hopper, electric means associated with each hopper and controlled from the corresponding scale for discharging said lifted article into said hopper, when the weight of a package passing over said scale is less than the predetermined weight setting of the latter, and a chute depending from each hopper whereby said article is caused to drop into said package.

5, In a machine according to claim l in which each compartment has an extension open at its bottom, and in which said lifting means each comprise a pair of alternately reciprocating members operating through the bottom of said extension.

6. 1n a machine according to claim 1 in which said automatically controlled means comprise an electric circuit including a solenoid, and a striking member associated with the armature of said solenoid.

SOFUS CHRISTENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,981,697 Hartmann Nov. 20, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,023 Great Britain Nov. 20, 1909 434,501 Great Britain Sept. 6, 1935 501,117 Great Britain Feb. 21, 1939 

